By Chris Marler
The only storylines you even hear about with Florida anymore are about Billy Napier and his job security. It honestly feels like Billy Napier has been on the hot seat since he stepped off the plane in Gainesville. And while no actual evidence of him losing his job has surfaced, that hasn’t stopped the constant criticism of Napier and everything he does.
Florida went to Starkville in what felt like a must-win game vs Mississippi State. And despite the constant cloud of uncertainty and criticism that Napier and this team have been under, they left Starkville with a huge, 45-28, blowout win and got back to .500 on the season.
The most impressive part of the win was arguably the most surprising. Billy Napier’s two-quarterback system not only worked, but he executed it perfectly. He interchanged Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway throughout the entire game regardless of the situation. That includes two drives with true freshman Lagway that started inside their own 10 yard line including one late in the fourth quarter.
Florida’s quarterbacks were nearly perfect. They combined to complete 26-of 28 passes for over 320 yards and had four touchdowns with zero interceptions.
That’s about as good as it gets. It also speaks volumes as to who Billy Napier is as a person. He ignored the outside noise, made a decision, stuck to it, and despite all the negative reactions it got leading up to the game, it turns out Billy was right.
Listen I’m not saying he’s a great coach, or that he will even make it through the season. What I am saying is that if you’re gonna drag him on social media for Dasani bottle mishaps, then make sure you keep that same energy when he gets it right. Like today.
